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Ireland name team to play Scotland

Mar 10 2018

After Scotland's biggest win over England for 32 years, the starting team that had also lined up against France a fortnight earlier is understandably otherwise unchanged once again and Townsend explained that his decision to prefer Kinghorn to the more experienced campaigners he had brought back into the squad this week, had been down to a combination of match fitness and players' strengths.

IAIN HENDERSON has been forced to settle for a place on the bench as Joe Schmidt has kept faith with Devin Toner.

Speaking at Carton House during the pre-match press conference, Schmidt said those anxious that Ireland's attack doesn't go out wide and to the backs enough need to look at the games they've played a little closer. "It also adds a bit of our last 20 or 30 minutes of the game, where an athlete like Iain can come on". The big, burly Munster centre sustained a knee injury during training recently.

Tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong returns from injury and will replace Fergus McFadden, who drops to the bench.

The only concern is that the 23-year-old has played just six games for Leinster this season, with shoulder and ankle injuries denying him a real opportunity to kick on from last year when he started nine straight games for Ireland. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of options as is the case at centre for us now.

"He was extraordinary when he played previous year", Ireland fullback Rob Kearney added.

The selection strategy gives Ireland a significant advantage over the visitors when it comes to their respective benches, with Porter, Seán Cronin, Jack McGrath, Henderson, Jordi Murphy, Joey Carbery and Jordan Larmour, the exciting...

Listen to coverage of Saturday's game live from 14:00 GMT, on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Scotland.